Keep these things in mind and remember a positive mindset goes a lot further than you might imagine...

1. TEXTURE + TASTE

Have you ever tried "gluten free bread"? Yeah, the products are getting better more often these days, but especially when it first started coming out, GF bread blows. It's hard and nasty and makes you want to give up all hope on ever finding a good bread substitute. This, my friend, is part of the journey into a Real Foods diet. Things ain't gonna taste the way you're used to. That is in part because our modern day food is designed to be more pleasurable than nature can actually provide. This gets us addicted and keeps us coming back for more. That is the sad truth behind food being produced in labs these days. It's not a joke. There are books and movies produced on this stuff. The point being: give yourself grace and...

2. THE LONGER YOU STICK WITH IT,​THE BETTER IT GETS

There is nothing more glorious than experiencing sweets from nature the way they were designed to be enjoyed. At first, it'll be easy to think "you'll never get there." You just wait. This one is hard to put into words, for it's not easily convincing. You must experience this for yourself. Have faith. It's coming.

3. FOOD ADDICTION IS REAL

Hello, sugar! It is true that you can become literally, physically addicted to things like gluten and dairy, but let me tell you the biggest killer of them all is sugar. Become aware of what it is that you LOVE and feel like you just can't give up. You really and truly, might be addicted and it's time to face the dragons head on. You can do it. It's so worth it.

4. YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL DEPRIVED

You're going to feel deprived, but I promise you my friend, you are not. Back that mean-mind talk up with a hefty load of empowering self-talk. You are doing this because you want to. You are doing this to get in touch with your body better. You are doing this to understand body and your mind on a deeper level. It seems silly, foolish, exhausting - especially when all you want is chocolate and popcorn. From here on out, you are on a food freedom journey and you must approach every interaction with conscious decisions. Become aware what is and isn't worth it, for your health and happiness - your body and your mind.

5. YOU MUST ALWAYS PLAN

This sounds draining, but again, with a little practice, in no time it will be second nature and you will always have your go-to back-ups on hand. My best advice is get a system down. You're going to fall off the wagon here and there, but if you have a system in place, it makes it that much easier to get back up. My favorite meal planning service is Real Plans. I love them so much, I dedicated a whole page on my website so you can learn about them!

Feeling frustrated, feeling like you "failed" is all part of the process. I would be worried if those things didn't happen to you! So embrace them when they come along and just keep getting back up. Give yourself grace and a positive pep talk. I've been on my journey for six years at the time of this writing and I've come a long ways, but I'm still figuring out a lot of things. You just have to commit to the process, dear friend.